This particular area, called Mangala Valles and located near the Tharsis region, may be an example of the action of liquid water in the ancient Martian past.

It’s possible that the wide and short channels visible here may have formed by the motion of groundwater, similar to way channels like these form on Earth.

Written by: HiRISE Science Team (audio by Tre Gibbs)   (30 October 2013)

This is a stereo pair with ESP_033053_1640 .

More info and image formats at http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/ESP_033264_1640

Image: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona